With Christmas only a few days away, it is time to wrap up your holiday shopping. If you are still unsure about what to get your loved one, you may want to head on over to Amazon and add an Alexa device to your shopping cart.

With so many new features, an Alexa device is bound to be the perfect gift for even the most hard-to-please person on your Christmas list. With a recent upgrade, Alexa is even more helpful than before.

Below are several exciting new things that an Alexa device can assist you with. Check it out:

Check your email

This may seem like a no-brainer, but did you know that you can access your email hands-free with Alexa? It’s very easy. simply say, "Alexa, check my email" and she will respond with a summary of your email messages that have been received within the last 24 hours. You can read, reply to, delete, and archive email messages.

You can also have Alexa notify you when you receive an email from a specific person.

Discover and call local businesses

You can now search for and call local restaurants and businesses by simply using your voice and your Alexa device.

Simply say something like, "Alexa, what’s the number for Domino’s?" to easily be connected to the nearest location. You can say, "Alexa where is the nearest Whole Foods?" and then say "Alexa, call them" to reach your local store.

This feature can save you precious time as you won’t have to conduct a Google search for contact information of your favorite stores.

New updates to Alexa timers

Thanks to the new updates for Alexa devices, you can now adjust the timer settings using just your voice.

For example, say you are in the kitchen preparing a ham for Christmas dinner. You can set a timer with your Alexa device and by saying, "Alexa, add five minutes to my timer," you can adjust the timer to fit your needs.

Location-based routines

With Alexa, you can now create location-based routines which are automatically activated when you enter or leave a location. The routines are based on information from your smartphone when location sharing is enabled.

For example, say you come home after a long day at work. Using only your voice, you can have Alexa turn on the lights when you walk into your living room. You could also have Alexa turn off the music whenever you leave your home. This is an excellent feature that can potentially save you money on your power bill and it prevents you from worrying about whether or not you turned off the kitchen lights after you have left your house.

Location­-based reminders

With Alexa, you can now set reminders that are triggered when you leave or arrive somewhere based on the location of your smartphone. All you have to do is simply say something like, "Alexa, remind me to take the chicken out when I get home," and when you arrive at home with your phone, Alexa will automatically send a notification to your phone and set a reminder.

Location-based Reminders are also available for locations outside the home where an Echo device may not be nearby, such as your office. For these location-based Reminders, you will receive a helpful push notification via the Alexa app on your phone.

Time-limited music within Alexa routines

Who doesn’t love falling asleep to music or sleep sounds? Using your Alexa device, you can now set a sleep timer for music within Alexa Routines.

For example, you can create a "Good Night" routine that will play sleep sounds, music, or white noise for an hour before automatically turning off. You can also add wait actions in between Alexa Routine actions.

For example, you can create a "Good Morning" routine that turns on the lights at 8 a.m. and then 20 minutes later plays your Flash Briefing. This amazing feature allows you to remain in control of your evening and morning routines, therefore allowing for a more productive day.

Do Not Disturb within Alexa routines

While having a smart home device can be very beneficial, sometimes you may not want to be disturbed with Alexa’s voice. Thankfully with the "Do Not Disturb" option you can avoid this. Using voice commands, you can create a "Good Night" routine that turns off the lights, starts sleep sounds, and enables a Do Not Disturb feature on your devices for up eight hours.

The list of what Alexa can accomplish is nothing short of a marvel. If you are still curious as to how Alexa can improve your daily routine, tap or click here to purchase an Alexa device for yourself or a loved one.

10 Amazon Echo commands you have to try

Are you one of the millions of Americans who are turning their place into a "smart home?" This, of course, means a home that is equipped with electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by a computer or phone. One of the most popular virtual assistants is Amazon's Alexa. You can find Alexa in several Amazon products such as the Echo, Dot and Tap. Tap or click here 10 tricks and commands you have to try.